Germany women's national handball team
Women's national handball team representing Germany
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Germany women's national handball team is the national handball team of Germany. It is governed by the Deutscher Handball-Bund and takes part in international handball competitions.
 Germany | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Information | |||
| Association | German Handball Association | ||
| Coach | Markus Gaugisch | ||
| Assistant coach | Frederick Griesbach | ||
| Captain | Emily Bölk | ||
| Most caps | Grit Jurack (306) | ||
| Most goals | Grit Jurack (1581) | ||
| Colours | |||
| |||
| Results | |||
| Summer Olympics | |||
| Appearances | 5 (First in 1984) | ||
| Best result | 4th (1984, 1992) | ||
| World Championship | |||
| Appearances | 25 (First in 1957) | ||
| Best result | 1st (1993) | ||
| European Championship | |||
| Appearances | 15 (First in 1994) | ||
| Best result | 2nd (1994) | ||
| Last updated on Unknown. | |||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| World Championship | ||
 | 1993 Norway | |
 | 2025 Netherlands/Germany | |
 | 1965 West Germany | |
| 1997 Germany | |
| 2007 France | |
| European Championship | ||
| 1994 Germany | |
History
During the years of Germany's division, the East German women's national handball team represented the German Democratic Republic in international matches and tournaments. East Germany was one of the strongest national teams in the world, winning the World Women's Handball Championship three times, in 1971, 1975 and 1978.[1]
As a united Germany, the team had early success already at their first tournament with a 4th placed finish at the 1992 Olympics, followed by their greatest successes; winning the 1993 World Championship and finishing second at the 1994 European Women's Handball Championship.[2][3] They also finished third at the World Championship in 1965, 1997 and 2007. During the 2010s the team could not replicate the early success, with exiting in the main round of European and World Championships being the norm.
At the 2025 World Women's Handball Championship reached the final, where they lost to Norway.[4] This was the first time since 1994 that Germany made the final of a major international tournament and the first time they won a medal since 2007.[5]
Results
For 
East Germany team record, look here.
| Competition |  |  |  | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| World Championship | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| European Championship | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
Olympic Games
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1976 | did not qualify | |||||||
 1980 | ||||||||
 1984 | Main round | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 91 | 100 |
 1988 | did not qualify | |||||||
 1992 | Semifinals | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 131 | 111 |
| 1996 | Preliminary round | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 70 | 73 |
 2000 | did not qualify | |||||||
 2004 | ||||||||
 2008 | Preliminary round | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 123 | 134 |
 2012 | did not qualify | |||||||
 2016 | ||||||||
 2020 | ||||||||
 2024 | Quarterfinals | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 159 | 160 |
| 2028 | Future event | |||||||
| Total | 5/14 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 574 | 578 | |
World Championship
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1957 | Third place game | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 38 |
 1962 | Preliminary round | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 18 |
| 1965 | Third place game | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 30 |
 1971 | Fifth place game | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 52 | 51 |
| 1973 | Placement round | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 49 | 66 |
| 1975 | did not qualify | |||||||
 1978 | Placement round | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 78 | 77 |
 1982 | Placement round | 9 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 143 | 114 |
| 1986 | Seventh place game | 7 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 132 | 128 |
| 1990 | Third place game | 4 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 141 | 131 |
 1993 | Final | 1 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 161 | 111 |
 / 1995 | Fifth place game | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 186 | 166 |
| 1997 | Third place game | 3 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 260 | 184 |
 / 1999 | Seventh place game | 7 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 234 | 198 |
 2001 | did not qualify | |||||||
 2003 | Main round | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 220 | 198 |
 2005 | Fifth place game | 6 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 278 | 240 |
| 2007 | Third place game | 3 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 324 | 279 |
| 2009 | Seventh place game | 7 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 253 | 242 |
| 2011 | 17th place game | 17 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 190 | 165 |
 2013 | Quarterfinals | 7 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 209 | 168 |
| 2015 | Round of 16 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 173 | 142 |
| 2017 | Round of 16 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 137 | 116 |
| 2019 | Seventh place game | 8 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 248 | 230 |
| 2021 | Quarterfinals | 7 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 195 | 171 |
// 2023 | Quarterfinals | 6 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 270 | 225 |
| / 2025 | Final | 2 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 281 | 245 |
| 2027 | TBD | |||||||
| 2029 | ||||||||
/ 2031 | ||||||||
| Total | 25/30 | 1 Title | 165 | 98 | 8 | 60 | 4018 | 3488 |
European Championship
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GS | GA | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Final | 2 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 152 | 143 | +9 |
| 1996 | Third place game | 4 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 169 | 165 | +4 |
| 1998 | Preliminary round | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 140 | 145 | −5 |
 2000 | Preliminary round | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 139 | 155 | −16 |
| 2002 | Main round | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 142 | 168 | −26 |
| 2004 | Fifth place game | 5 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 183 | 173 | +10 |
| 2006 | Third place game | 4 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 228 | 208 | +20 |
 2008 | Third place game | 4 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 227 | 208 | +19 |
| / 2010 | Preliminary round | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 78 | 87 | −9 |
| 2012 | Main round | 7 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 136 | 132 | +4 |
| / 2014 | Main round | 10 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 164 | 165 | −1 |
| 2016 | Fifth place game | 6 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 169 | 155 | +14 |
| 2018 | Main round | 10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 162 | 165 | −3 |
| / 2020 | Main round | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 145 | 158 | −13 |
  2022 | Main round | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 160 | 160 | 0 |
 2024 | Main round | 7 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 202 | 170 | +32 |
  2026 | Qualified | ||||||||
| 2028 | TBD | ||||||||
 2030 | |||||||||
| 2032 | Qualified as co-host | ||||||||
| Total | 18/20 | 95 | 49 | 5 | 41 | 2394 | 2387 | +7 | |
- ** Red border colour indicates that tournament was held on home soil.
Performance in other tournaments
- Møbelringen Cup 2011 – Second place
- Carpathian Trophy 1997 – Third place
- Carpathian Trophy 2008 – Third place
- Carpathian Trophy 2013 – Second place
- Carpathian Trophy 2015 – Third place
Team
Current squad
The squad for the 2025 World Women's Handball Championship.[6][7]
Head coach: Markus Gaugisch
|
Coaches
| Coach | Period |
|---|---|
| Carl Schelenz |
1930 |
| Otto Kaundinya | 1939 |
| Fritz Fromm |
1952–1953 |
| Hans Geilenberg | 1954–1967 |
| Helmut Torka | 1967–1971 |
| Volker Schneller | 1972–1974 |
| Werner Vick | 1974–1981 |
| Gerd Tschochohei | 1981–1983 |
| Ekke Hoffmann |
1983–1988 |
| Ulrich Weiler |
1988–1990 |
| Heinz Strauch |
1991–1992 |
| Lothar Doering |
1992–1994 |
| Ingolf Wiegert |
1994–1995 |
| Ekke Hoffmann |
1995–1999 |
| Lothar Doering |
1999 |
| Dago Leukefeld |
2000–2001 |
| Leszek Krowicki |
2001 |
| Ekke Hoffmann |
2001–2004 |
| Armin Emrich |
2005–2009 |
| Rainer Osmann |
2009–2011 |
| Heine Jensen |
2011–2014 |
| Jakob Vestergaard |
2015–2016 |
| Michael Biegler |
2016–2017 |
| Henk Groener |
2018–2022 |
| Markus Gaugisch |
2022– |
Individual all-time records
Most matches playedTotal number of matches played for the senior national team.
Last updated: 1 October 2025 |
Most goals scoredTotal number of goals scored in official matches only.
Last updated: 1 October 2025 |
Former notable players
- Grit Jurack
- Nadine Krause
- Stefanie Melbeck
- Sabine Englert
- Clara Woltering
- Anja Althaus
- Anna Loerper
- Nora Reiche
- Svenja Huber
- Kerstin Wohlbold
- Nina Wörz
- Susann Müller
- Anne Müller
- Katja Kramarczyk
- Laura Steinbach
- Isabell Klein
Several German players have seen their individual performance recognized at international tournaments, either as topscorer or as a member of the All-Star Team.
- All-Star Team
- Silvia Schmitt, 1992 Olympics
- Bianca Urbanke, 1994 European Championship
- Silke Fittinger, 1994 European Championship
- Franziska Heinz, 1997 World Championship
- Agnieszka Tobiasz, 2000 European Championship
- Grit Jurack, 2004 European Championship; 2008 European Championship; 2005 World Championship;
2007 World Championship; 2010 European Championship
- Nadine Krause, 2006 European Championship
- Anja Althaus, 2012 European Championship; 2013 World Championship
- Susann Müller, 2013 World Championship
- Alicia Stolle, 2018 European Championship
- Antje Döll, 2025 World Championship
- Emily Vogel, 2025 World Championship
- Viola Leuchter, 2023 World Championship; 2025 World Championship
- Topscorer
- Nadine Krause, 2005 World Championship (60 goals); 2006 European Championship (58 goals)
- Grit Jurack, 2007 World Championship (86 goals)
- Susann Müller, 2013 World Championship (62 goals)
